THE WINDOW OF LIFE

I notice some reviewers have trashed this album merely because some of the songs sound like pieces from other bands. I'd like to point out in defense of this album that although there are some "quotes" from other prog bands peppered throughout it, they are generally well integrated into Pendragon's own music.

The seasoned Proghead will spot a line from Supertramp here, a quote from the Moody Blues there, but these never last more than a second or two and merely serve to jog the listener's memory. To me they sound like a homage to some of the best prog tunes from the 70's, and although I can spot maybe half a dozen, I bet there are plenty more hidden in the music that were just too subtle for me or were references to albums I have never got around to hearing. It's a case of settling back and letting the music wash over you, then you suddenly hear something familiar and go "Hang on, that sounds like...?" - then almost before it registers in your memory, Pendragon have morphed back into their former selves and moved on.

This sort of thing is perfectly acceptable so long as the quotes are kept short (which they are), in fact it is a tradition that goes back to the time of Mozart and Haydn. Also, as far as I am aware this is the only album of theirs where they quote other bands like this. It's simply a tip of the hat to their prog roots, and I congratulate them for it.

I give this album 4 stars out of 5 - a satisfyingly well-written and well- played album throughout.